‘Affluenza’ Teen’s Attorneys Seek Early Release

Ethan Couch's lawyers want him released from a two-year jail term.

Lawyers for Ethan Couch, the Texas teen who killed four people in a drunk driving accident, are seeking an early release from his two-year jail term. They filed a motion on Tuesday arguing Tarrant County Judge Wayne Salvant, who sentenced Couch to two years, had no authority to sentence him because the case was a civil matter, not a criminal one after it was transferred from the juvenile system, The Huffington Post reports.

Couch, one of the poster boys for White privilege, was sentenced to serve 720 days in jail, 180 days for each of the four fatalities.

The case is under a gag order, which means lawyers on both sides are barred from speaking on details.

In June 2013 at the age of 16, Couch crashed into a car stationed on the side of the road; he had a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit.

The judge was lenient on Couch, sentencing him to 10 months probation after a psychiatrist testified saying he suffered from “affluenza” due to his privileged background. The diagnosis argued Couch did not understand the magnitude of his actions because he was coddled.

Last winter, Couch and his mother were reported missing after they failed to appear at a probation hearing and were later found in a Mexican resort town. A video went viral on social media showing Couch at a party where alcohol was present, a violation of his probation terms.

Couch and his mother were both extradited back to the United States and arrested in Tarrant County. His probation supervision was transferred to the adult system in April after he turned 19. Judge Salvant ordered him to serve 720 days.

Tonya Couch, Ethan’s mother, was indicted in May by a grand jury on money laundering and hindering apprehension of her son. She made bail and was placed on house arrest.

In June, her curfew was modified so that she could find work. Her attorney told The Huffington Post she works at a bar near Fort Worth.